There has been an ink jet recording apparatus that records images on recording media by ejecting inks onto the recording media from nozzles of an ejector(s). This kind of ink jet recording apparatus includes an ink jet recording apparatus that ejects, besides inks that form recorded images, an overcoat material onto recording media and fixes the overcoat material on the recording media, thereby forming overcoats. (Refer to, for example, Patent Document 1.) Forming overcoats on recording media can protect the surface of the recording media and/or provide the recording media with appropriate gloss.
If an ink jet recording apparatus records images on both sides of a recording medium, it is desired to form overcoats on both sides of the recording medium. Patent Document 2 describes a technology of, with two units which perform printing and varnish-coating (i.e. overcoat forming), performing printing and varnish-coating on one side of a recording medium with one of the units, reversing the recording medium with a sheet reversing unit, and performing printing and varnish-coating on the other side of the recording medium with the other unit.